1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation and for the precooking of whole or crushed seeds in order, on the one hand, to make it possible to stabilize the preparation and, on the other hand, to be able to use them without prior steeping treatment operations in food uses, in particular in bakery applications. The present invention also relates to a packaging, preferably vacuum packaging, of such seeds which makes possible prolonged preservation at room temperature and to the immediate use without requiring prior steeping.
2. Technological Background
In many countries, and in particular in Germany, softened cereal, fabaceae, cucurbitaceae or oleaginous seeds are used in various types of bread (wholemeal bread or white bread, rye bread, sunflower bread, linseed bread, and the like). The seeds can be used whole or crushed.
The softening of the seeds is obtained by steeping the seeds in water or by heat treatment (injection of steam, cooking).
In general, the baker uses the process of steeping in water. Depending on the temperature of the water, two types of steeping are distinguished:
Bruhstuck: the seeds are steeped in hot water (70-100.degree. C.). The container containing the water and the seeds is stored either for 6 hours at 20.degree. C. or for 4 hours at 40.degree. C. PA1 Quellstuck: the seeds are steeped in cold water (10-30.degree. C.). The mixture of seeds and water is stored either for 12 hours at 20.degree. C. or for 8 hours at 40.degree. C. PA1 mixing the seeds to be steeped with water, preferably in the proportion of one volume of seeds per volume of water; PA1 acidifying the mixture of seeds and water to a pH of less than 4.5 and preferably of less than 4.2; and PA1 cooking the obtained acidified mixture of seeds and water and possibly packaging the moist product. PA1 the seed must soften PA1 a slight resistance to mastication ("al dente") remains PA1 the crumb of a loaf of bread containing these seeds is easy to slice PA1 the seeds must not disintegrate after a loaf of bread containing these seeds has been baked.
The proportion of water and seeds is generally 1 to 1. After steeping, all the water is absorbed by the seeds.
However, during steeping, undesirable fermentations can take place due to microbial contaminations. These fermentations have a harmful effect on the taste and are unacceptable for public health reasons. These contaminations, in particular the growth of Bacillus mesentericus (an agent which causes dough to become ropy) the spores of which are resistant to cooking in an oven, should be avoided.
Steeping thus constitutes a critical stage with respect to the microbiological quality of the obtained product. Hygiene precautions must consequently be taken by the user.
The conventional Bruhstuck and Quellstuck preparation in any case requires a lengthy operating time, in particular for the presteeping.
Various publications describe products, in particular cereal products, which have been treated by acidification and by cooking in order to be used as it is in food applications.
The document EP-A-0415787 describes rice which is stable on storage and which is pasteurized in acidic medium. The targeted aim is to obtain a product described as a convenience food which can be rapidly reheated by the user and which retains its organoleptic features. It is proposed to use polymeric acids, such as alginic acid.
In column 6, lines 39 et seq., it is indicated that it is desirable to obtain rice which is firm without being hard, rubbery or soft and that it must moreover be non-sticky. The rice can be precooked or partially cooked.
It is indicated that this rice, advantageously in the absence of free water, can be packaged in a container which is impermeable to microorganisms, so as to ensure its stability during storage. Packaging is preferably carried out under vacuum (column 9, lines 13-50).
It thus does not in any way relate to softened seeds constituting an ingredient with other constituents in a food composition.
The document EP-A-0191573 describes a process for the treatment of foodstuffs, such as vegetables and cereal seeds, by treatment in the presence of a mixture of an acid and lactones, in particular the aldonic acid and the corresponding lactones, for the purpose of sterilizing them at lower temperatures and/or for shorter times while retaining the intrinsic properties of the foodstuff.
It again relates to obtaining a product which can be described as a convenience food which is used as it is. The product can be packaged hermetically and then heat treated.
On page 44, lines 4-21, reference is made to a series of products which can be treated in this way, among which appear unleavened doughs which are not intended for bakery applications.
A series of other documents, such as the document GB-A-807084 (Example V), the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,570 (see the examples) and the document Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 17, No. 589 (C-1124), which makes reference to the document JP-A-05176693, relate to cereal foodstuffs, essentially rice and groats, which are heat and acid treated and which undergo a final drying.